Happy Weekend

September 14, 2008



I just got back from the lovely experience of attending my first Jewish Wedding. The story is that one of my knitting students has been meeting with me for over 4 years and we've become true friends. When her daughter got engaged, I remembered a pattern I had found for a knitted lace Chuppah, which is the canopy under which the marriage takes place. I suggested to M. that she knit it for her daughter and, even though it was a challenging and large project, (8 feet square) we undertook it together. She worked steadily on it for the last nine or ten months and got it finished in plenty of time about a month ago. It turned out beautifully.The photo above is from the pattern. Today's wedding was actually outside in the sunshine with a lovely breeze playing with the fringe, but this is exactly how the Chuppah itself looked. It became a very special project because M. went so far above and beyond her former skills as a knitter and grew so much. She was eventually able to finish the bulk of the work without much involvement from me and it was a joy to see. There is nothing better for a teacher than to see a student finally grow wings to fly. Her love for her daughter and her desire to contribute this important traditional part of the wedding spurred her onward and upward. Those moments are when art really has meaning for me, when it transcends an empty existence solely for it's own sake and edifies all those who participate in it.

So, since I had a part in the creation of the Chuppah , we got invited to the wedding and I enjoyed it so very much( I was even mentioned in the program, and got introduced in one of the toasts, much to my surprise and embarrassment). I got to meet all of M.'s family and learn about the beautiful symbolism of each part of the wedding. I related to that because in my faith, marriages are performed in a very special and prescribed way that also includes deep symbolism which helps a couple to put their union in a spiritual perspective right from the beginning.

12 comments

  1. Sounds wonderful. My mom has studied the jewish religion, very interesting isn't it. Full of symbolism, just lovely. The Chuppah is beautiful, she surely did a wonderful job on hers too.

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  2. As soon as I saw the picture I knew what this post would be about : ) I'm SO HAPPY that it worked out and was an incredible experience. Wonderful.

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  3. Wow, that is gorgeous!! How neat to be able to share in the wedding like that!! Beautiful.

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  5. How lovely. What a beautiful Chuppah! My uncle had a Jewish wedding (his wife is Jewish) and I went to it when I was about 9. Such a beautiful ceremony for sure!

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  6. What a beautiful idea for a Chuppah and so special that it was made by the bride's mother. I am glad you had a good time at the wedding...I also love all of the ritual and symbolism involved in the Jewish wedding ceremony.

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  7. what a lovely thing. And something that can be handed down from mother to daughter too.

    which reminds me, I just inherited a box of yarn. Once I pull out the skeins I want, could you use some more?

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  8. how wonderful to be able to make something so beautiful for your daughter's wedding. and to teach someone to make something so beautiful.

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  9. The Chuppah is gorgeous. I am sure the detail is even more amazing in person. What a sweet contribution to the wedding.

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  10. so very cool. what a great way to be involved!

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  11. very touching, what a special something to be part of.

    on a much smaller scale, I feel like we both knitted L's little pink sweater. :)

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